Deb McCurren
Iowa Editor

Deb McCurren is a motivational speaker, consultant and tutor; helping children and adults of all ages to discover their true potential and put it into positive action. She holds a BA with a double major in Elementary Education and Special Education, with a Master's Degree in Learning Disabilities and Behavior Disorders. An experienced educator, she taught second grade and kindergarten in Colorado, where she was born and raised. She has also taught children with special needs; third through fifth grade, in Iowa. She home schooled her four children during their primary grades, while living in Colorado, and Iowa, and acquired experience with Talented and Gifted programs when her children reentered public education. In addition, she acquired extensive experience with post-secondary education as each of her children attend, and have graduated from, various universities and diligently work and worked on their degrees.

From February 2003 to May 2006, Deb was an office manager and staff assistant for Congressman Jim Leach (R-2nd District; IA) in the Ottumwa office. She enjoyed helping constituents with research, appeals, special projects, and a variety of issues. Deb assisted hundreds of constituents from the time when the Ottumwa office opened in February 2003.

Deb and her children resided in SE Iowa, from July 1991 through May 2006, in a rural setting that dates back to 1878, on a 60-acre farm, which Deb still owns. Deb has been very involved in many civic, private, Christian, and political organizations at local, state and national levels. She believes that, in order to make a positive difference, a person must be both well informed and involved. Therefore, she has done extensive volunteer work for numerous organizations and associations, some of which include Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H, various youth groups, church groups, women's groups, education groups, teen groups, athletic groups, community groups, and political groups. She also served, on numerous county, district, and state committees and boards.

Deb states: "I have always appreciated the saying; 'Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for life.' It is my desire to see us take this one-step further: 'Teach a man how to teach others to fish; feed a community, a nation, and a world.'"

Deb's favorite activity is speaking to groups and individuals about America's Best: God, Family, and Country. She believes in motivating others to improve their quality of life, and she has enjoyed being the keynote speaker for a variety of groups. She is a fiscal and social conservative, and a Constitutionalist. Deb considers it an honor and a privilege to be an American; to defend, preserve and protect our Declaration of Independence, our Republic's Constitution and our Bill of Rights. She also considers it an honor to pledge allegiance to our Flag, sing our National Anthem and serve God, Family and Country.

Deb's additional activities and involvements included being actively involved in the Republican Party and Republican Women at the county, district, state, and national levels. She served as Jefferson County GOP Chair (2001-2005); she served as Iowa Federation of Republican Women (IFRW) 3rd Vice-President, Programs Chair and Youth Involvement Co-Chair. Previously Deb served as the Youth Involvement Chair for the IFRW. She was a Bush Team Leader and the Jefferson County Chair for No Child Left Behind. In addition, she has served as the Bush-Cheney County Chair and Grassley County Chair. During the 2004 campaigns, Deb ran for State Representative (District 90), and continued to volunteer time for the Bush-Cheney Campaign and the Grassley Campaign. She was honored to be one of the speakers at the Cheney event in Ottumwa, Iowa in September 2004. Additionally, Deb was elected from Third District to serve on the Permanent Organization Committee for Iowa's 2000 State Convention, and serves on the Jefferson County and Second District GOP Platform Committees. Deb has assisted with numerous local, state and federal campaigns, both as a volunteer and as paid staff (organizing up to 22 counties.) From 1999 through 2003, she volunteered over 3,000 hours for the GOP. In addition, she was the event coordinator for a variety of successful events. Deb enjoyed working with people from all around Iowa and meeting people from around the nation. She enjoys connecting with people and in turn assisting a variety of people and organizations to connect with others.

Deb truly believes it is possible to make a positive difference by being well informed and actively involved. She believes it is possible, and a God given responsibility, to help create positive change for our nation.

As an outreach specialist and community collaboration specialist, Deb has worked to empower individuals, organizations, agencies, and communities toward increased collaboration and outreach in a variety of arenas. Her work includes work in Washington, DC for the US Department of Justice - Office of Justice Programs in the Office for Victims of Crime. Deb worked as a community outreach and collaboration specialist and was the faith-based liaison for the Office for Victims of Crime. Her work included activities to increase faith-based responsiveness to victims of crime, and to increase collaboration among secular and faith-based service providers for crime victims. Additional work included assistance to the White House Faith Based and Community Initiatives (FBCI) Task Force.